This work studies software selection in Illinois police departments to determine what factors are most important in making decisions, these factors' outcomes, and the nature of participation in decision making. The research finds that performance factors are far more important than cost considerations. Those organizations that emphasized performance factors in decision making were more likely to be satisfied, as well as benefit from greater affects of the system. Participation is dominated by the user department with people outside the department playing only a limited role in most cases. The nature of software selection encouraged geographical patterns in software acquisition.
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